| Get outside and celebrate! |
| Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22nd for 51 years now. Take some time around this day to get outdoors and notice the signs of spring. Budding trees and wildlife returning to the area remind us all of the cycles of life. What a great time to also be mindful of our part in keeping the planet healthy for the generations to come. Here are a few easy ideas for marking the occasion.
1. Pick up liter 2. Plant a tree 3. Put up a Birdfeeder 4. Create a water station for bees 5. Look at ways to cut energy use at home 6. Plan a Garden 7. Build a Terrarium 8. Start compost area 9. Take a hike 10. Go on a Nature Scavenger Hunt, like the one you can print below! |
Category: Press Release
National Volunteer Week 4/18-4/24/21
| Thank you to all our Volunteers! |
| We could not accomplish the work we do at Friends of Rogers without our dedicated staff of volunteers. National Volunteer Week is April 18-24. To show our appreciation, Friends of Rogers, along with the group “Nonprofit Connections” of Chenango County have created a virtual “Just Desserts!” Please take time to watch this photo collage of volunteers at all the participating nonprofits in Chenango County. We will be mailing dessert coupons from Minty’s, Gilligan’s Ice Cream and onCommon Grounds. Thank you for your service to Friends of Rogers and our community!
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I Love My Park Day May 1, 2021
I Love My Park Day will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2021 and whether this is your first or your tenth I Love My Park Day—welcome. With the ongoing pandemic, spring is going to look a little different, but we are excited to be hosting a safe, in-person I Love My Park Day event. This year, in partnership with NY State Parks & Historic Sites and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, we are holding a more contained, two-day event on Saturday & Sunday, May 1st-2nd. Visit the website for all event details: ptny.org/ilovemypark
The Event at Rogers Center will be 1 day only on May 1st, with two shifts of volunteers. First from 9-11 am and second 1-3 pm. Register at the link above.
ABOUT I LOVE MY PARK DAY:
New Yorkers love their parks, as demonstrated by the thousands of volunteers who are willing to help maintain the beauty of New York’s treasured state parks and historic sites. Friends groups and volunteers are more important than ever to keep parks beautiful, clean, and welcoming for all to visit and enjoy.
Volunteers from across the state participate in cleanup, improvement, and beautification events at New York State parks and historic sites each year.
PTNY helps coordinate the event on the statewide level, providing outreach, promotion, technical assistance and a how-to organizer’s kit for Friends groups to use for their individual events. Friends groups and park staff oversee cleanup, improvement and beautification projects and work with volunteers.
New Yorkers love their parks, as demonstrated by the thousands of volunteers who are willing to help maintain the beauty of New York’s treasured state parks and historic sites. Friends groups and volunteers are more important than ever to keep parks beautiful, clean, and welcoming for all to visit and enjoy.
Volunteers from across the state participate in cleanup, improvement, and beautification events at New York State parks and historic sites each year.
PTNY helps coordinate the event on the statewide level, providing outreach, promotion, technical assistance and a how-to organizer’s kit for Friends groups to use for their individual events. Friends groups and park staff oversee cleanup, improvement and beautification projects and work with volunteers.
Electric Car Raffle begins 3/19/21
Friends of Rogers starts the 2nd Annual Electric Car Raffle March 19, 2021
Friends of Rogers started the 2nd annual Electric Car Raffle on Friday March 19th. This fundraising raffle features a prize of a 2020 Tesla Model 3, ($36,000) ARV. The raffle runs from March 19, 2021 at 10 am to October 15, 2021 at 6 pm. The drawing will be held on October 21, 2021 at noon, at Rogers Center and will be open to the public. Tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20 and other bundles are available. All details and rules for the raffle can be found on their website, www.FriendsofRogers.org click on “Win a Tesla.”
The first raffle, held in 2020, was a successful endeavor, even while the buildings were closed to the public and with everchanging COVID restrictions for events and in person activities. Friends of Rogers staff was able to educate people on the features of driving an electric car and hopes to continue this as an annual piece of environmental education. The winner of the 2020 raffle was Virginia Huerfeld of Glenmont, NY. The raffle in 2020 brought in revenue from ticket sales online, by mail and by phone all while the camps and other programs had to be cancelled. This weekly revenue helped to sustain the nonprofit during the worst of the COVID restrictions and will again in 2021.
Simon Solomon, Executive Director said “We enjoyed introducing people to the electric vehicle last year and look forward to showing the car and educating people on driving electric this year too. We also raise money for our environmental education programs in the process, which helps us while the buildings are closed, and camps are still questionable.” Heather Tehan, Director of Development said “With the temporary move of the Store from the Visitor Center to the Bird Cabin this year, we expect that more people will see the car. Being closer to the trout ponds will allow for more people to buy fish food and other items in the store as well.” The Visitor Center construction is underway with a fall 2021 date in mind for the unveiling of the new building with new exhibits and the brick campaign patio installation. As always, the trails are open and fish food available in the dispensers near the trout ponds.
The 2020 Tesla Model 3 is going to be on site at Rogers Center for people to see, near the Bird Cabin during store hours, by appointment or by chance. They also have the 3rd Electric Car Show scheduled for October 3rd to join with National Drive Electric Week. Last year’s event brought 22 EV’s on property with a variety of Electric vehicles on display and test rides given. You can register for the event at https://driveelectricweek.org/event?eventid=2617 . You can find out more information on this Electric Car Raffle at https://friendsofrogers.org/ .
Brick Campaign Begins 2/11/21
Friends of Rogers offers a chance to leave your mark at Rogers Center with brick campaign.
Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center is giving you the opportunity to leave your mark at Rogers Center with the start of a Brick Campaign. Friends of Rogers will be dedicating a space near the front of the Visitor Center for Donor Bricks to be placed in the ground in a permanent patio area. This project coincides with the building updates and exhibit updates that will be unveiled in 2021. You will notice going forward that the logo and branding has been updated as well.
We now invite you to participate in the updates, by leaving your mark on the property at Rogers Center, the only way you can. Choose your message and art, or upload your company logo, for engraving on a red concrete brick in one of three sizes, 4×8, 8×8 or 12×12 inch bricks are available. Clip art is available for an extra fee with options including wildlife, activities, professions as well as member organizations and military logos. This is a great way to mark occasions such as a birth, graduation, marriage, or remembrance of a loved one. Celebrate you family’s love of camping, fishing, or hiking. Mark your corporate support of Friends of Rogers with your company name and logo. Your support of Friends of Rogers will be displayed for all our visitors to see, year after year.
Simon Solomon, Executive Director said, “This fundraising campaign ties in nicely to all the upgrades of the center. We expect to have the bricks in place in autumn of 2021, with room for continued expansion every year.” Plans for exact locations will be made each year going forward, depending on how many bricks supporter’s sponsor. The purchase of the brick is considered a donation, as the buyer does not receive the brick themselves. There is an option to purchase a 4×4 replica tile that donors can keep for an additional fee.
Orders start now and will be taken through July. Go to www.friendsofrogers.org and look for the red brick tab in the top right of any page, or click here to go to the order form and select your options. You can also request a brochure or pick one up at Rogers Center. Staff is happy to help you with your order anytime, email Simon at execdir@friendsofrogers.org or call the center at 607-674-4733 and leave a message. The patio installation is expected to be in September 2021. You can print the brochure using the link below.
Rogers Center is operated by Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center, Inc., a nonprofit organization that offers educational programs for people of all ages. The staff is currently working in shifts between home and the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center building remains closed to the public with the restrooms open Friday through Sunday 7 am-7 pm and during any programs.
Friends of Rogers Programs Resume in 2021, with CCE and Otis Thompson Foundation
For Immediate Release
Friends of Rogers Programs Resume in 2021, with CCE and Otis Thompson Foundation.
Monthly programming resumes in January 2021 with Friends of Rogers and is now brought to you by the Otis Thompson Foundation throughout 2021. Get outside for a fun, educational experience with Friends of Rogers and Cornell Cooperative Extension Chenango County. The collaboration will allow us to provide at least two programs a month from January through May, as COVID precautions allow.
The first program included in the Otis Thompson Foundation sponsorship, is a partnership with the NYS DEC, and the Bullthistle hiking club for our First Day Hike at Rogers Center. Two hikes will take place on New Year’s Day, led by the hiking club members, and all spots are full at this time. You are encouraged to get outside and start the new year off by hiking the trails at Rogers Center with your family, wear your masks and practice social distancing.
Then Friends of Rogers and Cornell Cooperative Extension Chenango County offer two sessions for you to Snowshoe and look for animal signs, tracks & traces for ages 12+. The first date is Thursday, January 14, 2021 in the afternoon 1-2:30 pm. The second is Saturday, January 30, 2021 in the morning 10-11:30 am. Both sessions are free and brought to you by the Otis Thompson Foundation. The only fee would be for participants that would like to rent snowshoes from Friends of Rogers for $3 a pair. Maximum attendance is 15 people and masks must be worn. You can register for a spot by emailing info@friendsofrogers.org or call 607-674-4733. Once we respond to your request, you are registered.
More programs coming each month include learning to ice fish, shelter building, hiking the sugarbush, wildflower walks and tree identifications. Please check our website, Facebook events, and this news source for monthly updates on the programs provided and any cancelations for COVID precautions.
Rogers Center is operated by Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center, Inc., a nonprofit organization that offers educational programs for people of all ages. The staff is currently working in shifts between home and the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center building remains closed to the public with the restrooms open Friday through Sunday 7 am-7 pm and during any programs.
2020 Electric Car Raffle has started
For Immediate Release:
Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center holds Electric Car Raffle
Friends of Rogers started an Electric Car Raffle on Thursday May 14th. The Electric Car Raffle is a new fundraiser for Friends of Rogers and features a prize of a 2015 Tesla Model S, ($35,000) ARV. The raffle runs from May 14, 2020 at 10 am to October 14, 2020 at 6 pm. The drawing will be held on October 21, 2020 at noon, at Rogers Center and will be open to the public. Tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20 and other bundles are available. All details and rules for the raffle can be found on their website, www.FriendsofRogers.org click on “Win a Tesla.”
The nonprofit organization had to cancel their most popular fundraiser in March, just one week before the Spring Frolic was to take place on March 19th, due to the COVID-19 statewide shut down of mass gatherings. They plan to host the Silent Auction portion of that event sometime over the summer. At the time of this release, it has not been determined when that can take place. Time will tell how the reopening of the state goes for a business, like Friends of Rogers. The hope is that the Electric Car Raffle will provide environmental education on electric vehicles and bring in revenue from ticket sales online, by mail and by phone.
Heather Tehan, Director of Development said “We hope to introduce people to the electric vehicle while we raise money for our environmental education programs to continue. We are facing a year without the Spring Frolic and the cancellation of the School Field Trips and outreach programs.” Even though the programs and field strips have been cancelled, the number of people going to Rogers Center is up. Simon Solomon, Executive Director said “We are excited to see so many people enjoying the property with their families, the kind of numbers we usually see in mid-Summer. It is nice to see that the community is still relying on us as a place to get outside and enjoy nature even with the buildings being closed at this time.” The buildings and restrooms remain closed until further notice. The trails are open and fish food available in the dispensers near the trout ponds.
The 2015 Tesla Model S is going to be on site at Rogers Center for people to see, as staff is available, until the buildings are reopened. Then staff expects to have the vehicle in front of the Visitor Center daily. They also have the 2nd Electric Car Show scheduled for October 4th to join with National Drive Electric Week. Last year’s event brought 18 EV’s on property with a variety of Electric vehicles on display and test rides given. You can register for the event at https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=2215. You can find out more information on this Electric Car Raffle at https://friendsofrogers.org/raffle/.
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Friends of Rogers Executive Director Simon Solomon is available for interviews by calling (607) 674-4733.
The mission of the Friends of Rogers is to provide outstanding educational opportunities that excite, inspire and motivate people of all ages to enjoy, understand, appreciate and protect our natural environment.
Photo Caption: The 2015 Tesla Model S Electric Raffle Car in front of Friends of Rogers Visitor Center.
COVID-19 Updates
Trails
Trails are open but restrooms and buildings are closed. Please plan ahead and remember to practice social distancing.
Adventure Camp Series
At this time, Rogers Center is continuing to plan for the Summer Adventure Camp. During the COVID-19 public health crisis, Rogers Center will follow the NYS Department of Health’s recommendations for opening residential day camps when guidance becomes available. Rogers Center will share additional information when it becomes available to make sure the public is informed.
